Detroit-based Hercules Electric Vehicles has brought in Pininfarina to help design its Alpha electric pickup truck, which the company is targeting for launch in late 2022.
That should be a significant change of pace for Pininfarina, which is known for designing classic sports cars for the likes of Ferrari and Alfa Romeo, and more recently for its own Battista electric hypercar. The Italian firm will also provide design input for Hercules' retail locations.
Founded in 2018, Hercules is currently taking reservations for the Alpha despite the design process seemingly being incomplete. The company said collaboration with Pininfarina will begin immediately, but that still doesn't leave much time to meet Hercules' launch target.
Pininfarina Battista
The Alpha will feature a quad-motor powertrain with torque vectoring, providing up to 1,000 hp, according to Hercules. The company has also quoted a 4.0-second 0-60 mph time and 300-mile range.
Nissan was reportedly in talks with Hercules last year, although it's unclear if those alleged talks went anywhere. Images on Hercules' website resemble a Nissan Titan with a different front end, so Hercules may have wanted to use the Titan as the basis for the Alpha. Pininfarina's involvement means the final truck will likely have a different look.
The Hercules Alpha is one of many electric trucks in development. Other contenders include the Endurance, from Ohio-based startup Lordstown Motors, the Tesla Cybertruck, Ford F-150 Lightning, and GMC Hummer EV. Just this week, Ram announced an electric pickup as part of parent Stellantis' EV Day presentation, meaning all three of America's established automakers are now in the game.